Outlook Business Desk
Microsoft is laying off about 6,000 employees globally, representing around 3% of its total workforce. The move has drawn widespread criticism, as many affected employees have expressed their disappointment.
Many laid-off employees announced their departure from Microsoft on social media platforms such as X and LinkedIn.
Ron Buckton, a Senior Software Engineer at Microsoft and a key contributor to the TypeScript programming language, has been laid off as part of the company's recent workforce reductions. Buckton, who has been with Microsoft for 18 years—spending nearly a decade on the TypeScript team—shared the news on X, stating: “After 18 years at Microsoft, with roughly a decade of that time working on TypeScript, I’ve unfortunately been let go in the latest round of layoffs.”
Gabriela de Queiroz, the Director of AI at Microsoft, has also been let go by the tech giant. She announced her departure on LinkedIn, writing: "I’m heartbroken to see so many talented people I’ve had the honour of working with being let go. These are people who cared deeply, went above and beyond, and truly made a difference."
Dona Sarkar, who worked at Microsoft for over 20 years and most recently held the title "Chief Troublemaker – Copilot and AI Extensibility," was also let go. “Well today was A DAY for so many of our friends and colleagues,'' she wrote urging people to support those impacted.
Scott Hanselman, Vice President of Developer Community at Microsoft, expressed his sorrow over the layoffs on LinkedIn, saying, “These are people with dreams and rent and I love them and I want them to be OK.” He urged others to support those affected by offering their networks, references, referrals, and time, calling it “a day with a lot of tears.”
Angela C., a Product Manager at Microsoft, shared on LinkedIn that she was impacted by the recent layoffs and is now seeking new opportunities. She thanked her network for their support, mentorship, and collaboration, and encouraged connections to reach out with potential opportunities in product management.
“My journey is not done yet, it’s just starting! To all my fellow Microsoft people — we are in this together and we got this!” Ian Carter, another affected employee said in a Linkedin Post.